Don't Tell Me I Can't......Become An Author

Sue Watson turned her life-long dream of writing her own novel into a reality

- Niamh Burns

Typing on my laptop, I love nothing more than losing myself in an exciting plot, creating interesting characters and transporting myself to different locations around the world through the words I write. But while I might sound like a seasoned author, I’m not. In fact, my first novel wasn’t published until I was 43.

Growing up, I loved reading. The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton was one of my favourites and I often penned my own tales. My love of writing only grew as I got older and, when I left school aged 18, I went to Manchester Metropolitan University to study English, before becoming a journalist at 21, and then a TV producer for the BBC at 30.

I loved my job, but when I met my husband, Nick, through work and had my daughter Eve in 1999, I found it difficult juggling my career with my family. In my spare time, I made notes which I hoped one day I’d make into a book. I’d always have a pad handy in my bag, ready to write down things that inspired me. And, by 2009, the thrill of my career in television had lost its appeal.